I was chatting at the Hot Tin Roof bar last night with a couple from Montana. Trump supporters.

A congenial conversation. Opposing views expressed.

At one poin,t they were expressing their disgust with the Democrats having failed to turn up for one or two committee hearings yesterday. Hearings scheduled for votes re two cabinet picks.

I smiled. Then shared with them a story I wrote in this blog 4-5 years ago.

It was 1840. The actual date December 5. Abraham Lincoln was a member of the Illinois Legislature. He was a Whig at the time.

The Democrats the opposing party.

The Democrats needed a quorum to vote on a piece of legislation they wanted passed. They suspected the Whigs might leave the Chamber so there would not be a quorum. The Democrats had the door locked.

Lincoln was no fool. The Chamber was on the second floor. He walked over and opened a window. Jumped out and ran off. Thereby denying the opposition for the moment the quorum required.

I told my friends, denying a quorum is All American. If Lincoln could do it, so too today’s Democrats.

Sex seems to affect children at an earlier age these days. You show me yours, I’ll show you mine has graduated to sexually explicit classmate photos.

Horace O’Bryant is a Key West school. Kindergarten through 8th grade. An investigation is underway. Sexual photos being shared. The pics taken off campus. Transmitted initially via social media. The pics of middle school students.

Parents, pull your hair out!

A haircut at noon yesterday with Lori. She told me about her recent long weekend Caribbean cruise. Fun. She recommends it.

At one point, the water got rough. Her stomach began to flutter. The remedy was to drink more, she said. The alcohol balanced out the woozy stomach.

Stopped at Farmers Market afterwards. To buy bread. A young immigrant couple sells their home made bread under one of the tents. I who ask everyone everything have never asked them where they came from. The bread is delicious. I bought 15 small loaves. I freeze the bread.

Ran into Boomer at Farmers Market.

The Chart Room and Hot Tin Roof last night. Both places relatively quiet. The Montana couple sat at the bar near me.

The Sons and Daughters of Italy present Buonasera Venezia tonight from 5-8 at the Bottlecap.
A charity fundraiser. I will be there. With Liz. She called yesterday and said she wanted to go. Venice her favorite place. She and her now deceased husband spent many happy days in Venice.

I have been visiting or living in Key West more than 25 years. When first I came, the men did not wear jackets. Dress jackets. Sport jackets. Then one could be noticed every few months. We locals would look at each other and quietly whisper…..Tourists.

I see more and more men wearing jackets the past couple of years. Especially the past few months. Especially when cold. Even however when it is merely part of the dress costume for the evening.

Includes locals.

Key West is changing.

Poet John Keats died in February 1821. Twenty five years old. One of the world’s best romantic sonnet writers.

Keats died in his bedroom in Rome. A four story narrow building at 26 Piazza di Spagna. Immediately next to the Spanish Steps.

I was in Rome 35 years ago with my family for a month. My wife and daughters deserted me one day to shop. The American dollar was strong. Everything cost one-third of what it did back home.

I was walking around. Sat a while on the Spanish Steps and watched the world go by. Took a walk. Passed the building described. A small brass sign on the side of the door read The Keats Shelley House.

I went in. Explored the four floors. The top floor was the important one.

Keats’ bedroom had been preserved as it was at the time of his death. An outer room had some of his first edition books and manuscripts of his writings. All under glass.

I came across one writing that moved me emotionally.

Recall first that Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on a brown paper bag. The bag that had carried his lunch.

Keats wrote the opening stanzas of one of his most famous poems on a piece of crumbled paper. The opening lines to Endymion. A several volume work.

Few know Endymion. Most know its opening lines as penciled in on that piece of crumbled paper: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever…..”

Tomorrow at noon Syracuse/Virginia. Tough game. Virginia ranked #9 nationally. I refuse to get excited in spite of Syracuse’s spectacular victory over North Carolina State earlier this week.

I just remembered! I will not be watching the game. At noon, I will be marching in Steve Attis’ New Orleans funeral parade. Followed by mass at St. Mary’s Church.

Yesterday, I received a site to look at from a reader. I did…..If you are in a grocery store and put a pineapple upside down in your shopping cart, it means you are into “extracurricular activities outside of marriage.”

I went to Publix. Had to shop anyhow. Rushed to the fruit counters. No pineapples!

Two sunday dinners yesterday within two hours of each other. The second was the problem. I did not want to insult Dee who had prepared it for me.

I enjoyed an early sunday dinner with Rich and Cynthia Boettiger at their home. Both good company. Rich and I go at it politically. Cynthia sits back . Speaks rarely. When she does, it is a pearl of wisdom.

On the drive home, I received a call from Dee. I had not seen Dee in three months. She said she was driving down from Cudjoe with a special meal she had prepared for me.

Dee, a smart woman. She has a PhD. in psychology. Knows the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

In comes Dee with a huge bowl of pasta. Angel hair. Covered in a delicious smelling sauce buried in grated cheese. My people call it sauce. Dee is from Boston where it is called gravy.

I did not wish to offend. Ate the huge dish she put before me. Then a second helping she pushed upon me.

Cynthia and Dee back to back! A little heavy.

Dee left. I collapsed in bed. Watched the end of the Cleveland/Chicago game. Chicago won. Still have a long road ahead to ultimate victory. Going to be interesting.

In the Comments section of this morning’s Key West Citizen was a compliment to the City for the fine clean up job of Duval following the parade. Seventy thousand at the parade saturday night. Duval a mess afterwards. By 8 sunday morning, pristine clean.

It has always been such. When I was an early morning Duval walker, I always took note of the clean up. Impressive!

Bocce. Don’s Place now 18-6. Tied for second with Hell’s Rangers who recently defeated Don’s 3-0.

The famous poet John Keats was born this date in 1795. He died 21 years later.

I have mentioned Keats often. Thirty five years ago, the family and I were spending a month in the Rome area. I tripped across Keats’ home. Next door to the Spanish Steps. I was able to view the bedroom, his final resting place. As well as a room filled with his poems handwritten on paper under protective glass.

I recommend any one visiting Rome to visit Keats’ residence. A moving experience.

Now to the second installment of a writing motivated by Wright Langley’s History of the Rotary Club of Key West. This installment covering the years 1915-1919. Note that the history of the Key West Rotary parallels that of the United States in certain instances.

Rotary International was born in 1905. Intended to be an international service organization. Service above self, the motto.

The aim was to bring business and professional leaders together to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.

Rotary International was ten years old when in 1915 Key West was asked to form a Rotary Club. The chair of the organizing committee was local attorney Jefferson B. Browne.

A group of community leaders met for informal luncheon meetings in a Duval Street store between Front and Greene Streets.

The Key West Rotary was officially organized on March 17, 1916. It was elected to membership in the International Rotary on April 1, 1916.

Five officers plus twenty six additional charter members made up the group. Attorney Browne was elected President. Other officers consisted of attorney William Malone, jeweler Frank Johnson, and grocery store manager George A. T. Roberts.

Rotary sought the best men to comprise the local Rotary. Not out of snobbery. Rather to assure that the men selected had the power and influence to get things done.

President Browne wrote to Rotary Secretary Chelsey R. Perry in Chicago…..We have the best men in the City in our club…..We intend to make our club a strictly high class one.

The influence and ability to get things done was soon evident. They were instrumental in organizing a Key West chapter of the American Red Cross in 1917. The club also provided the leadership in forming the Key West Chamber of Commerce.

By 1916, World War I was raging in Europe. The United States joined the conflict in April 1917 when Congress signed a war resolution.

The War was not the only major Congressional vote in 1917. Later that year, the Volstead Act was passed. The Eighteenth Amendment. Outlawed the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages. The States finally ratified the law January 29, 1919.

From that date forward, Key West’s economy shot upward. Key West became a significant port of ingress for alcohol. Especially, rum from Cuba. Key West acquired the title of rumrunning capital of the world.

Nineteen nineteen was memorable for the Key West Rotary. Two of its members attended the Rotary International Convention in Edinburgh, Scotland as delegates. Drs. William Warren and Joseph Renedo.

Donna and Terri threw a small dinner party in honor of Mark Watson’s 44th. The food outstanding. Donna is a terrific cook. The company good. Enjoyed myself!

Donna and Terri have done a magnificent job with the apartment. They have been in about two months. I saw the place when first rented. Terri’s heart attack slowed them down. The place is now completely decorated. Deserving of a Florida housing magazine spread.

Big afternoon ahead! Syracuse v. South Florida at 3:30. Hope not a repeat of last week’s debacle against Louisville.

Poker Run in full force and effect. Bikes driving down US 1 to Key West. Big time noise. Most of the ladies I saw this year were not riding seated behind the driver. They had their own bikes.

I plan on walking a bit of Duval tonight to see the bikes. Several blocks of Duval will be closed off. Only bikes will be permitted to park. Beautiful machines!

Jim Young’s Key West Codes Department has always impressed me. The group does a good job. Professional.

The cosmetic stores continue to be a Duval blight. The law does not permit closing them down. They can be fined however for failing to follow existing local guide lines.

There are seven cosmetic stores. The problem is overcharging, irregular bills, etc. The overcharging is by hundreds of dollars. Sometimes thousands. Credit cards misused.

Codes did an all at once investigation of the stores. Hit the seven stores at the same time. Five were handed violation warnings requiring them to correct their processes in 48 hours.

Too bad they cannot just be closed.

Key West High School has a group known as the Conchettes. An athletic dance group.

The Conchettes have been extremely good in recent years. They have twice appeared in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They have been asked to return this year for a third time. Sixteen will make the trip.

The school does not put up the money for the trip. The young ladies have to raise it. $45,000 needed. Each girl asked to raise $3,500.

Help the Conchettes. Make a contribution. Call the high school to do so.

Trump has not released his tax returns. I keep waiting for a hacker to get them and do so. Makes sense.

I grew up and worked in Utica, NY. Fifteen miles away from Herkimer, NY. A small upstate community. Many the case I tried in Herkimer Supreme Court.

Herkimer was previously known as German Flats. On this day in 1778, Mohawk Indian Chief Joseph Brant, 150 Iroquois Indians, and 300 British loyalists burned down German Flats. Only three residents killed. The residents had a warning and escaped to two nearby forts.

Sixty three houses, 57 barns, 3 gristmills, and 1 sawmill destroyed.

At the end of the Revolution, the Brant family and their Iroquois followers escaped to Canada where they remained the balance of their lives.

A poet for the ages left England this date in 1820 for Italy. John Keats. He had tuberculosis. He thought the Rome weather would help his condition. It did not. He died in less than six months at the age of 20.

Keats did not write poetry till the last three years of his life. His works amazing and multitudinous in that short period. Ode to Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale two examples.

I mention Keats because I was fortunate to visit his home and place of death some 35 years ago. I was in Rome. Wandering around while my wife and daughters were clothes shopping. I was at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Immediately to the right was a small 2 or 3 story building. A brass plate on the door was labeled John Keats. I went in.

Exciting! Saw Keats’ bedroom where he died. Another room had many of his transcripts. His poems hand written on pieces of paper. I was familiar with a few. Chilling to read the original product.

I was 95 percent finished with the rough draft of this week’s KONK Life column yesterday afternoon. Mommy, I’m Hungry. About Venezuela’s starving children. All of a sudden, the screen was blank.

I must have hit a wrong key. Went to retrieve the column. Good luck!
Nowhere to be found.

Called Sloan and had her search. No luck.

Frustrated I was. No question.

It took 3 hours to draft the material lost. It would take me another 3 hours to rewrite. Then edit. Another 1.5 hours. I already had 3 hours in. No way. I did not have it in me to do. I was already tired.

So…..There will be no KONK Life column this week. Mommy, I’m Hungry will appear the following week. My apologies.

I watched the Olympics off and on yesterday. Not long. I could not get into it.

Early evening drove to Walgreens. Out of my acid reflux pills. It was 6:10. Pharmacy closed. Now closes at 6 on saturdays and sundays.

Then to Hogfish. Sat at bar. Watched some Olympic basketball. Enjoyed fish and chips. Hogfish fish and chips.

The Hackley saga for today. Mrs. Hews can no longer breast feed the baby. She is drying up. Matilda cannot. The Havana goat was dry. What to do next? Starch. Hackley reported the baby was taking to it.

Starch mixed with water is what mothers are feeding their babies in Venezuela. Makes for a full stomach. Not healthy, however.

Think how lucky we are. How far we have come. If a mother cannot breast feed, there are all kinds of baby formulas on store shelves.

This weekend’s newspapers uniformly mentioned that the FDA had approved testing for Zika in the Florida keys. The whole world may be thrilled. I am not. My message: Stay out of my back yard!

I forgot all about Battle of the Bars.

Somewhere this weekend, I came across mention of John Keats. Poet supreme! He died at the age of 25 in 1821. In Rome.

Thirty five years ago, I accidentally came across his home/the place where he died. I was walking around Rome. In the area as the Spanish Steps. The first building on one side of the Steps had a small dated bronze sign. Home of John Keats. A two or three story building.

I went inside. Walked to the top floor. Saw Keats’ bedroom. The place where he died. The rest of the floor was a museum of sorts.

Among the observable items were a number of original Keats’ works. His poems handwritten on crumbled paper. Under glass, of course.

I found the experience exciting and moving.

Big talk on TV this morning re a third party candidate with Republican dissident backing. Morning Jo said it’s for real. He received two telephone calls. The announcement supposedly will be made at noon.

During these days in 1975, Vice President Spiro Agnew came under attack. It was claimed that he accepted kick backs from contractors while Maryland governor.

He subsequently resigned.

Agnew was a hard ass. I think that is why Nixon selected him to run as Vice President. These were the days of campus unrest. Agnew frequently spoke out against the demonstrations. In tough guy fashion.

I never liked Agnew. For two reasons.

He constantly used big words. His vocabulary excellent. Much better than mine. It was as if he was trying to impress people all the time.

The other reason is that out of law school he became an Allstate Insurance adjuster. Allstate was a rotten company back then. Despicable the manner in which they ran their claims department. No respect for anything or anyone.

To this day, I think of Agnew as an Allstate adjuster rather than Vice President or crook.

New York Times columnist Frank Bruni had an interesting comment re Trump in a recent column. The thrust of the column was that the GOP was indulging Trump.

Bruni stated in his last paragraph that America “…..needs a grown-up who honors our values, not a brat who shreds them.”

Peggy Noonan wrote a column in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal re whether Trump was crazy. Her last paragraph introduced me to the word kakistocracy. Never had heard it before. From the Greek. Noonan said, “It means government by the worst persons, by the least qualified or most unprincipled.” Suggesting we might be on our way there if Trump were to be elected.

Someone reported in this morning’s Citizen’s Voice: The Key West chicken saw its shadow yesterday, which means six more weeks of tourists.

Skipped the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. It competed with a doctor visit. Followed by Walgreens and Publix.

Did my blog talk radio show last night Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Cost of a college education a winner!

Mentioned the attack on college loans was misplaced. The universities themselves should be attacked. High administrative and professorial salaries, new buildings. Chastised the federal government also. The U.S. is averaging $40 billion a year as their piece of the action re college loans. A finder’s fee, a commission. I do not know what it should be called.

I thought I could watch the first half of the Syracuse/Virginia Tech game on TV last night. It was not to be. Not available in Key West at all. Dan Reardon called me a few minutes after 8 asking where the hell was the game! I told him the sad news.

An exciting game missed. Syracuse won 68-60 in overtime. Syracuse loosing by 7 points with 1 1/2 minutes to go. Tied the game and blew Virginia Tech out in the overtime.

A case of legionnaires disease discovered in Key West. A resident. He is now hospitalized in Miami. Health officials in a quandary where he got it. Investigation on going. No further cases reported.

Stepin Fetchit. Spelled correctly. Never heard of him. This morning’s Key West Citizen notes Fetchit was born this day in 1893 in Key West. His real name Stephen Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry.

Fetchit went on to become a comedian and movie star. Big in the 1930s. First African-American to achieve such a height. The first American black actor to become a millionaire.

Thirty five years ago, I was in Rome. With the family and my parents. A memorable one month trip.

My then wife and daughters were shopping on the Via Condotti. The Via Condotti is Rome’s most expensive commercial street. Especially for clothes and other female paraphernalia.

At the time, the dollar was strong. One American dollar was worth 2,200 lire. Legalized thievery whenever you bought something.

My wife said give me $3,000 and I promise you the girls and I will not bother you for clothes for a year. $3,000 turned into lires made a person a semi-millionaire!

While the ladies were shopping, I walked around. I hate shopping.

At one end of the Via Condotti are the Spanish Steps. Next door to the Spanish Steps was a two or three story building. Sign said Keats-Shelly House. I went in. An experience!

John Keats was a respected poet during his time. His time was not long. He died this day in 1821 at the age of 20 or 21. In the bedroom on the top floor. In a room next to his bedroom were a number of artifacts and writings that were his.

I came across a rumpled sheet of paper titled A Thing of Beauty Is A Joy Forever. The lengthy first stanza. Encased in glass.

The poem well known even today. Keats’ most famous work. I had studied the poem in college in a third year English class.

Viewing the hand written poem brought tears to my eyes. I was viewing a document for the ages.